PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU - Leonard, Rosemary
AU - Horsfall, Debbie
AU - Rosenberg, John
AU - Noonan, Kerrie
TI - Carer experience of end-of-life service provision: a social network analysis
AID - 10.1136/bmjspcare-2017-001344
DP - 2018 Feb 10
TA - BMJ Supportive &amp; Palliative Care
PG - bmjspcare-2017-001344
4099 - http://spcare.bmj.com/content/early/2018/02/10/bmjspcare-2017-001344.short
4100 - http://spcare.bmj.com/content/early/2018/02/10/bmjspcare-2017-001344.full
AB - Objective To identify the position of formal service providers in the networks of those providing end-of-life care in the home from the perspective of the informal network.Methods Using third-generation social network analysis, this study examined the nature and strength of relationships of informal caring networks with formal service providers through individual carer interviews, focus groups of caring networks and outer network interviews.Results Service providers were usually highly valued for providing services, equipment, pain management and personalised care for the dying person plus support and advice to the principal carer about both caring tasks and negotiating the health system. However, formal service providers were positioned as marginal in the caring network. Analysis of the relative density of relationships within networks showed that whereas relationships among family and friends had similar density, relationships between service providers and family or friends were significantly lower.Conclusion The results supported the Circles of Care model and mirror the perspective of formal service providers identified in previous research. The research raises questions about how formal and informal networks might be better integrated to increase their effectiveness for supporting in-home care.